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13 - JUN/JUI - report./conf. pr. Met

Reportage-Channel 5 News

28.06.2013

Polly Whitehouse : The
disappearance of Madeleine McCann has baffled detectives for six
years.

Now, as British
detectives prepare to re-start the investigation, 5 News has been to
the resort where Madeleine went missing. We've discovered that the
police there have little appetite for keeping the search going.But Robert Murat, a
British man who was falsely accused at the time, has told us it's
vital they find out what happened to Madeleine.

Leyla Hayes is in Praia
da Luz. Leyla, what did he have to say to you?

LH : (live in Praia da
Luz, to camera) Well, Robert Murat was cleared of having any
involvement in Madeleine's disappearance many years ago but he told
me that even today he still feels that he's living under a cloud and,
like the McCanns, he wants a new investigation so that he can move
forward.

(voice over) Praia da
Luz, Portugal. Peaceful and popular with British tourists but six
years ago the tranquility of this Algarve resort was shattered.

[Archive footage section]

Gerald MC : Words cannot
describe the anguish and despair that we are feeling as the parents
of our beautiful daughter Madeleine.

LH : (voice over)
Madeleine McCann disappeared just days before her fourth birthday.
The mystery of what happened to her has never been solved.

Thirteen days after
Madeleine's disappearance, Robert Murat was named as a suspect. He
was later completely cleared but has told 5 News he still feels the
case is hanging over him.

LH : (voice over)
It's believed the Home Office has now agreed to fund a new
investigation into Madeleine's disappearance following a review of
the case by the Metropolitan Police.

(to camera) Madeleine
disappeared from Apartment 5A, here at the Ocean Club, in Praia da
Luz. The Portuguese inquiry was closed in 2008 but the British police
have now uncovered more than 20 new suspects including British
tourists, people who worked here and known paedophiles who were in
the Algarve at the time of Madeleine's disappearance.

(voice over) But this
former chief inspector from the Portuguese police says without
concrete evidence the authorities in Portugal will never re-open the
case.

Carlos Anjos : The new
evidence that the British police have presented is meaningless. It's
not important to the criminal investigation here.

LH : (voice over)
During the Portuguese inquiry both Kate and Gerry McCann were also
named as suspects and later completely cleared. Sandra Felgueiras is
a journalist who has covered the case from the start.

Sandra Felgueiras :
Portuguese people will never forget the impact they've had in the
first moment that the Portuguese police admitted the possibility of
the McCanns being involved on Madeleine's disappearance. This was a
very strong turning point and I don't know if it will be possible to
the Portuguese people just forget it.

LH : (voice over)
But Robert Murat believes a new inquiry could finally bring closure.

(to Robert Murat) What
would it mean to you, if this case could be solved?

RM : Oh,
everything, I think, errr... if it could be solved, I think that's...
that... everything, yeah.

LH : Do you mean
you could finally move on?

RM : Yeah, yeah.

LH : (voice over)
Six years on, Madeleine McCann is still missing but it's hoped that
with a new investigation the mystery of her disappearance can finally
be solved.

Communiqué- Metropolitan Police

04.07.2013

Incident Date03/05/2007

Incident LocationPraia da Luz , PortugalDescriptionDetectives
from the Metropolitan Police Service conducting the investigative
review into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann have now moved to
an investigative stage of the inquiry.Over
the past two years the review, whilst not complete, has been in a
unique position having drawn together material from the UK, Portugal
and private investigators from seven different companies.

This
process has been complex and issues such as translation of material
have presented particular challenges. To date some 30,500 documents
have entered into the process which has generated in excess of 3,800
actions. The actions that we have completed have generated new
findings and new witness evidence.

Our
review has sought to prioritise the material, ensuring we are doing
everything possible to understand what happened to Madeleine. In the
absence of any clear evidence to the contrary we maintain our belief
that Madeleine may still be alive.

The
MPS has conducted sixteen visits to Portugal and we have met and
shared our findings with key members of both the Policia Judiciaria
and Judicial Authorities. Our relationship is positive and we are
grateful for the co-operation we have received thus far.

We
are satisfied that our review has now progressed to a position where
we have identified 38 persons of interest. These individuals are from
a number of European countries and we are now at an advanced stage of
dialogue with each country.

Over
the coming months we will be conducting assertive enquiries, with the
assistance of host countries to establish more information about the
individuals concerned and any potential involvement.

Twelve
of the persons of interest are UK Nationals who we believe were in
Portugal at the time Madeleine went missing.

Officers,
under Operation Grange, have formally requested the Crown Prosecution
Service submit an International Letter of Request to the Portuguese
Authorities seeking assistance in obtaining evidence relating to
lines of enquiry they wish to pursue. This has been done with the
full support of the UK Government.

The
MPS has requested, in accordance with accepted Mutual Assistance
practice, that a small number of UK officers are present in Portugal
whilst the enquiries are undertaken.

The
MPS will be as open as our operational priorities allow but in the
context of this complex operating environment we appeal for media
restraint. There is a real risk that a lack of restraint could serve
to seriously undermine our ability to progress.

"We
have identified 38 persons of interest from a number of European
countries. Twelve of those people are UK Nationals who we believe
were in Portugal at the time Madeleine disappeared."Our
working relationship with the Portuguese police is positive and now
that we have moved to investigation we are requesting further
specific assistance through normal judicial routes.

"We
remain in close contact with Kate and Gerry McCann and they are
updated on our current position.

"We
continue to appeal for information. If you were at the resort of
Praia da Luz between 28 April and 3 May 2007, either on holiday or in
residence in the resort during this period, particularly in the
vicinity of the Ocean Club, and you have not been spoken to by police
either here or in Portugal then please call us on 0800 0961011 if you
are within the UK.

"The
number for non-UK residents is +44 2071580 126. Alternatively if you
do not want to speak to us directly you can contact Crimestoppers on
0800 555 111."

Journalist
: What has the Metropolitan Police decided to do in relation
to the Madeleine McCann case?

Andy Redwood : Well, in relation to the two years work we've
undertaken, we have decided to move from review to, errm...
investigation.

J.
: And why have you decided to do that?

AR : Well, we in consultation with our Portuguese
colleagues are absolutely committed... absolutely committed to
finding out what happened to Madeleine McCann and we've been in a
unique position, over the last two years, in drawing together three
strands: Portuguese, UK and private investigators material. From
that, a vans... a vast quality [sic: quantity] of material is being
analysed and we have identified 38 persons of interest, and, within
that, 12 who are UK nationals, and it's from that position that we've
been able to move from review to investigation.

J.
: So what
does this mean practically in terms of the search for Madeleine
McCann, what happens now?

AR : Well, what it means practically is that we will be
shortly serving to the Portuguese authorities, following a judicial
route, errm... formal request for evidence to be gathered.

J.
: What can
you tell us about people that you have found who are of interest; the
numbers, where they are from and what you intend to do?

AR : Yes, well those 38 people in total from... from a
number of European countries and obviously the... the inquiries that
we seek to undertake will be... will be to understand more about what
role, if any, they played in Madeleine's disappearance. What I should
say though - over the last two years - the review has told me, is
that there is no clear, definitive proof that Madeleine McCann is
dead and so on that basis I still genuinely believe that there is a
possibility that she is alive, and so I would ask the public to
continue to look for her. If you look on the Metropolitan Police
website, you'll see the image that we presented last year to the
public, and all the contact details, and if the public aren't happy
to talk to police then they can call Crimestroppers [sic] on 0800 555
111.

AR : Well, everything we are doing is focused towards
trying to finding Madeleine McCann, errm... and there are no
guarantees of any outcome but I can assure you of our absolute
determination to try and establish what has happened to her.

J.
: What
about the McCann family they've been involved have they, in...?

AR : Madeleine McCann's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann,
have been in close collaboration with us from the beginning and I
meet with them regularly and they are fully updated as to where we
are in terms of our Review and now investigation.

J.
: In terms
of those suspects who are of interest, errm... some of them are
abroad and some of them are in the UK. Can you just talk to...
what… who those suspects are, what... where they are?

AR : Well, I... I wouldn't use the word 'suspects',
they are persons of interest and they are a mixture of people from a
number of places in Europe, and what I wouldn’t want to do today is
to go into any great detail about that other tha... other than to
assure you that we are working diligently to find out more about
these individuals.

J.
: What has
changed, errm... Have you had new information, new evidence? What has
changed to lead you to open this investigation?

AR : Well, as we have worked carefully over the last
sort of two years, through that review process, we have now processed
some 30,000 documents and some of those documents could have, say,
one page, some have got hundreds of pages. From that, you will recall
last year that I said we had 195 investigative opportunities. We have
now generated over 3,800 actions and it is from a careful analysis of
that work that we have been able to establish new thinking and we
have spoken to witnesses that have provided new evidence for us.

J.
: And the
Portuguese police are being helpful in this investigation being led
by the British police?

AR : Yes, we have visited Portugal on 16 occasions; the
Portuguese have worked with us; we have always been welcome guests
and we are working carefully and closely together now in order to
progress this case.

J.
: Some
people... some people suggested, quite cruelly at the time, that the
McCann parents might be in some way involved with the disappearance
of Madeleine McCann. What can you say about the involvement of
Madeleine McCann's parents in anything to do with her disappearance?

AR : Neither her parents or any of the member of the
group that were with her are either persons of interest or suspects.

J.
: Because,
obviously, there was some rumours at the time, but you are quite
categorical in that?

AR : They are not persons of interest or suspects,
they are parents who have lost their daughter and we are doing all
that we can to bring resolution for them to find out what has
happened to Madeleine.

J.
: How...
how big is the team that is involved in this and where do you go from
here?

AR : My team consists of 37 staff; that's a mixture,
predominantly of police officers but also police staff as well. The
size of my team will stay largely the same, errm... and moving
forward from here we will hopefully have a position where - whilst
the legal inquiries are being conducted, errm... by the Portuguese -
that we have the ability to be present while those inquiries are
taking place. So I envisage a situation where a small number of
officers will be present in Portugal.

J.
: And
obviously there has been many years since this case - are you still
confident you can discover what happened to Madeleine?

AR : We have been in a unique position, in drawing
those three key strands together. That has given us the ability to
see this case with fresh eyes and through that bring out new...
genuinely new lines of inquiry and I'm hopeful that when we pursue
those lines of inquiry that we'll be able to bring some sort of
resolution. Whether we'll be able to solve it is a different issue
but I hope that we'll be able to make... have the ability to move the
investigation on.

J.
: And is
this really the last chance for the investigation? Where would you
see this fitting into the years that we've had so far?

AR : Well, I believe critically that this is an
important moment for Madeleine. Errm... It is... it is the
culmination, as I say, of that unique piece of work and it is,
errr... and it is a great opportunity which we intend to exploit to
the full.

KW : (voice over) For two years Scotland
Yard have been looking into the mystery: 'Whatever happened to
Madeleine McCann?' They haven't yet answered that question but they
have reached one significant conclusion:

AR : There is no clear,
definitive proof that Madeleine McCann is dead and so on that basis I
still genuinely believe that there is a possibility that she is
alive, and so I would ask the public to continue to look for her.

KW : (voice over) Aged three, Madeleine
from Rothley, in Leicestershire, vanished from the apartment where
she was staying with her parents on the Algarve.

The Metropolitan Police team are now investigating
several people, although they are not describing them as suspects.AR : We have identified 38
persons of interest, and, within that, 12 who are UK nationals, and
it's from that position that we've been able to move from review to
investigation.

KW : (voice over) The 38 are from a
number of European countries and the police have made it clear they
do not include Madeleine's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann.AR : Neither her parents or any
of the member of the group that were with her are either persons of
interest or suspects.

KW : (voice over) The Met say the
Portuguese police have been helpful and are committed to solving the
case but one former senior officer at Scotland Yard has spoken of the
lost opportunities in the early days.

Dai Davies : Well, the foundations as laid by the
Portuguese left a huge amount to be desired. In... in essence it was
a... a bosched [sic: botched] investigation from the outset. They
simply failed to do what a competent police force should have done,
in my opinion.

Well, the lesson surely has to be that you involve professional police forces who have the experience and ability, in a global scenario, in terms of kidnap and ransing [sic: ransom]. Scotland Yard are arguably one of the best in the world - they should have been brought in from the outset, as I did call for.

KW : (voice over) Robert Murat was
originally named as a suspect but was completely cleared. He says he
welcomes the new attempts to find the real culprits.

Robert Murat: I've tried to move on and my family's
tried to move on but it's always something that, errr... my... I...
I'm linked to. Errm... whenever there's anything that's new, my name
gets mentioned and it... so yes, I'd like to see it resolved.

AR : I'm hopeful that when we
pursue those lines of inquiry that we'll be able to bring some sort
of resolution. Whether we'll be able to solve it is a different issue
but I hope that we'll be able to make... have the ability to move the
investigation on.

"Scotland Yard asked for media restraint in
the coming weeks and months as it began what is being seen as the
last chance to learn what happened to Madeleine". Media
restraint and Madeleine McCann? Given the sad history to this sad
story, that is surely going to be a big ask.

Today's coverage of the announcement that British
police are to open a new investigation into the girl's disappearance
illustrated yet again the dilemma for her parents, Kate and Gerry.
Naturally enough, they welcomed the news that a two-year review of
the case by the Metropolitan police is to become a full-fledged
inquiry. It offers them renewed hope. But they also have to suffer
once again the anguish of newspaper headlines and, especially, the
re-publication of those poignant pictures of three-year-old
Madeleine, who vanished from their holiday apartment in Praia da Luz,
Portugal, in May 2007.

Her face featured on the front pages of five
national titles this morning - the Daily Telegraph, Daily Mirror,
Daily Express, Daily Star and Metro. And most of the others gave the
story big shows on inside pages.The headlines ranged from the wholly
inaccurate "Maddie is still alive" (Star) through the
highly speculative "Maddie: arrests in weeks" (Daily Mail)
to the much more accurate, if blindingly obvious, "No proof
she's dead" (Mirror).

Most of the coverage was measured, properly
reflecting that police led by Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood
were targeting 38 potential suspects (aka "persons of interest")
from five countries, including 12 Britons. But will the restraint
last? Have editors learned the lessons from their former behaviour?
They will doubtless recall the libel actions that cost several
publishers many thousands of pounds in damages and costs.

They also need to take on board that Kate and Gerry
McCann, as leading members of the Hacked Off group, have become much
more media-savvy in the last six years. They will not tolerate a
re-run of the disgraceful reporting of the past.